To locate the muscles these exercises engage, try to stop and restart the flow of urine mid-stream. Just do this once, because if you do it too much it can affect the passage of urine. Once you’ve located these muscles, you can tighten and draw the muscles in, feeling them lift upward. Hold for a count of five, then release. It’s recommended that men do 8 to 10 repetitions, resting in between. Ideally, each series of 8 to 10 should be followed by 5 to 10 quick squeezes and releases, and men should work up to doing the whole process four or five times per day for best results.
Hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol) is one of the main risk factors in the development of atherosclerosis, a condition that with the development of statins over the last 20 years has become more treatable, but not without consequences. Statins have been shown to reduce the incidence of cardiovascular events by 25–40%, yet this reduction is no big deal, especially considering that many patients need additional therapy to reach more optimal lipid levels and prevent cardiovascular events.
Nitric oxide is made internally from L-arginine, which is an amino acid found in red meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products. In other words, L-arginine is the building block for nitric oxide, which is essential for erections. A lack of one can lead to a lack of the other. However, there’s a problem when it comes to treating L-arginine deficiency with supplements.
Move a muscle, but we're not talking about your biceps. A strong pelvic floor enhances rigidity during erections and helps keep blood from leaving the penis by pressing on a key vein. In a British trial, three months of twice-daily sets of Kegel exercises (which strengthen these muscles), combined with biofeedback and advice on lifestyle changes — quitting smoking, losing weight, limiting alcohol — worked far better than just advice on lifestyle changes.

All of these medicines work by relaxing smooth muscles and increasing blood flow in the penis during sexual stimulation. You should not take any of these medicines to treat ED if you are taking nitrates to treat a heart condition. Nitrates widen and relax your blood vessels. The combination can lead to a sudden drop in blood pressure, which may cause you to become faint or dizzy, or fall, leading to possible injuries.

This is one B team you want to get on pronto: A recent report from Harvard University highlighted a study that has linked low levels of B12 to erectile dysfunction. A causal link hasn’t been nailed down, but the B vitamin is used by every system in the body, particularly in cell metabolism and the production of blood — two essential factors in getting and keeping a quality erection.
The substance that gives hot peppers their kick can also give you some kick in the pants: Studies have associated the natural chemical with increased testosterone levels. In animal studies, capsaicin has also shown to increase the size of sex organs, while simultaneously decreasing belly fat. A 2014 study from France also found that men who ate more spicy food had higher testosterone levels than those who ate less. You can consume capsaicin via peppers, chili powder or a cayenne supplement.

Nocturnal penile tumescence and rigidity monitoring using tumescence and rigidity activity units measure the area under the curve of activity divided by the time slept so that varying sleep times may be compared. All four parameters of base and tip tumescence and rigidity rose more in responders than in nonresponders (Table 5). Most changes showed either a trend toward significance or achieved statistical significance. Baseline tip rigidity activity units and tip tumescence activity unit scores differed significantly between groups (P=0.038 and P=0.026, respectively). In fact, nearly all of the baseline values were higher in the responders compared with the nonresponders. Responder tip tumescence activity unit scores increased steadily, whereas nonresponder scores dropped negligibly with the 10.8 mg tid dose. Responders had a significantly higher final score while taking the 10.8-mg dose (P=0.010). Responder tip rigidity activity unit scores also increased steadily, whereas nonresponder scores increased at the second dose, then fell again at the final dose. The mean tip rigidity activity unit score of the responders was significantly higher than that of the nonresponders with the 5.4-mg tid dose (P=0.011). The final scores of the responders were almost twice those of the nonresponders as well (significant where P=0.041). Base rigidity activity unit scores did not differ significantly between the two groups, although the increased responder scores with the initial dose of yohimbine was greater than that of the nonresponders (trend where P=0.065). Finally, base tumescence activity unit scores of the responders who were taking high doses of yohimbine were significantly higher (P=0.009).

Yohimbe is an evergreen tree with large, leathery leaves. It is native to the tropical west coast of Africa, from Nigeria to Gabon. Natives in that region have used the inner bark of Yohimbe to treat angina, hypertension, fever, cough and leprosy. It was also smoked or snuffed to attain an altered state of consciousness. Its main use and rumored “power” was that it was an aphrodisiac. Today science recognizes it as a sensual stimulant, but Native Africans also recognized that drinking Yohimbe tea encouraged sexual arousal. It was traded with Europeans and the tales of Yohimbe’s “powers” spread, giving rise for its increased demand by Europeans.
Derived from the bark of a West African evergreen tree, yohimbe was the go-to ‘script for a wonky willy prior to the advent of wonder drugs like Viagra, Walker says. “Yohimbe enhances sexual performance both by blocking certain neurotransmitters in the brain and by increasing the release of nitric oxide in the cavernosal nerves of the penis,” he explains. And it pairs well with other erection-friendly tablets: A 2010 study in the Iranian Journal of Psychiatry found that a combination of yohimbe and L-arginine successfully helps guys get it up. However, yohimbe also has a handful of side effects, including elevated blood pressure and anxiety, so definitely talk to your doctor before you start on the supp.
Over 18 million American men over 20 years old suffer from erectile dysfunction, a condition characterized by the inability to keep an erection. It’s a complex disorder brought on by a number of factors, but it’s almost always devastating for the man it affects — causing him to lose confidence in himself and different aspects of his life. The stress it causes can deteriorate relationships and lead to lost productivity at work. Health problems aren’t uncommon either. But there’s good news in all the bad; a new study finds exercise may be a simple way to get things going under the sheets again.
The phrase “penis exercise” actually refers to exercises known as pelvic floor or Kegel exercises, in which a man focuses on strengthening the muscles that control the flow of urine and ejaculation. These exercises are often recommended to men who are recovering from prostate cancer treatment, have problems with ejaculation, or have a hard time holding their urine, but they do not appear to help erectile dysfunction.

Also to be considered, patients were not using PDE5 inhibitors during the study period. Therefore it wasn’t determined whether the combined use with niacin can enhance the response of PDE5 inhibitors. Another limitation on the study results was the exclusion of the partner’s assessments. This would help to provide a more comprehensive assessment of the efficacy of niacin.

The substance that gives hot peppers their kick can also give you some kick in the pants: Studies have associated the natural chemical with increased testosterone levels. In animal studies, capsaicin has also shown to increase the size of sex organs, while simultaneously decreasing belly fat. A 2014 study from France also found that men who ate more spicy food had higher testosterone levels than those who ate less. You can consume capsaicin via peppers, chili powder or a cayenne supplement.

Those consuming yohimbine lost nearly 30% more fat and experienced 31% greater reductions in body fat percentage compared to those in the placebo group. Neither group reported negative side effects from a twice-daily dosing of 10mg of Yohimbine HCL. These findings indicate that the powerful fat loss effects of yohimbine apply to even the most seasoned athletes with already low levels of body fat.

One study found that sticking to a Mediterranean diet rich in virgin olive oil, vegetables, fruits, whole grains, nuts, and fish was associated with a lower risk of ED development and improvement in people who already suffered from ED. There is also some evidence that vegetarian and vegan diets may lower the risk of some types of heart disease, which in turn decreases the likelihood of developing ED.

Evidence from 5 randomized studies published in the years between 2004 and 2010, has demonstrated strong evidence that aerobic exercise can benefit people with arterogenic ED. These review results of this study build on and update the evidence from studies that concluded that concluded that exercise was beneficial for people with ED and cardiovascular disorders (25–27); on ED and obesity (18) and on normal subjects with ED (24). However, studies have shown common pathway for ED, cardiovascular (28 –30) and metabolic disorders (19, 31).

Many men experience E.D. According to UW Health, “Mild and moderate erectile dysfunction affects approximately 10 percent of men per decade of life (i.e., 50 percent of men in their 50s, 60 percent of men in their 60s).” And if you think erectile dysfunction is only a problem for older men, think again. As reported by The Greatist, a 2014 study found a quarter of patients newly diagnosed with E.D. were under 40. Of these men, almost half were experiencing severe E.D., meaning they were unable to get or maintain an erection during sex. If this is happening to you, before ordering Viagra online, check in with your primary care practitioner. It could be an early warning sign of atherosclerosis, so it’s worth getting a full evaluation before simply throwing medications at the problem.

Vitamin B5 (Pantothenic acid) is irreplaceable if you wish to increase life expectancy. Vitamin B5 has a positive impact on the nervous system and intestinal motility. Calcium pantothenate is a form of vitamin B5 that has a powerful anabolic effect, enhances the synthesis of steroid hormones, and takes part in the synthesis of coenzyme A. In addition, calcium pantothenate helps release energy from foods. So, to a large extent, it improves your body’s endurance and stamina, as well as increases human tolerance to different loads.

Returning to pellagra, Dr. Casal was the first to offer a clinical description of the disease. He called it mal de la rose due to the red rash seen on the hands and feet of sufferers. In fact, his account is now recognized as the first modern pathological description of a syndrome. This was the beginning of a progression of discoveries that led to the isolation of niacin in 1911, and its direct implication as the dietary deficiency factor in pellagra in 1937.

When given orally, yohimbine reaches peak levels in 10–15 min, and the half-life is 0.6 h. The efficacy of yohimbine in sexual function has been questioned, perhaps because of early questionable multidrug preparations.10,11 Yohimbine has been shown to have some effect on psychologic erectile dysfunction12,13 and in reversing fluoxetine-induced sexual dysfunction.14

Athletes or dieters sometimes use products containing yohimbe to help promote easier weight loss, especially from body fat, and to increase energy expenditure. Some have speculated that it may help increase muscle mass and endurance while cutting fat. But there’s not much evidence from studies that this is necessarily true. Yohimbe does seem to have potential to increase energy expenditure by acting as a stimulant, increasing adrenaline levels in the body and potentially preventing fatigue during or following exercise.

There are two things that need to be looked at in recommending a supplement for a medical condition: what is the physiology of the medical condition and what is the pharmacology of the supplement you are using. There then is a search for a link between the two that leads to a tie in with a therapeutic approach. In some ways this is like a logic course that says A causes B, B causes C therefor A causes C. We then must apply this to the scientific method and finally the ultimate test: clinical response and safety. This is often made out to be the gold standard for our typical Rx meds that I dispense every day, but often ridiculed when it crosses the barbed wired “nutraceutical” boarder. If it is a nutrient then we must be getting the right amount in our food after all right? Regardless of 1)what the real amount is in the food we eat, not to mention 2)the depletion that may be taking place of that nutrient due to a prescription drug we are taking (an absolute science based cause and effect) – we blindly accept what our food has in it and the level our bodies maintain – this is an incorrect assumption. In fact it is quite ironic that the anti-nutraceutical court is still hanging onto this assumption when both are established by science.
Practicing natural health and herbalism for over 18 years, Dalene received her training and herbal certification under the guidance of Lynn Albers at Yarmony Mt. Herbal College in Colorado in 2000. She went on to become a Certified Birth Doula at Birthingway College of Midwifery in Portland, Oregon in 2007. As a Birth Doula, Dalene has helped to bring many new lives in to this world. Dalene has written 280+ fertility articles and with her vast array of herbal and holistic healing knowledge has helped 1000’s of women on their journey to Motherhood.
Dr. Niket Sonpal is the Associate Program Director of the Internal Medicine Residency at Brookdale Hospital Medical Center in Brooklyn and an Associate Professor at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine. He's a practicing Gastroenterologist and Hepatologist with a focus on Men's and Women's Health, and a regular contributor to Women's health, Shape and Prevention Magazine.